UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday called on all states and powers with influence in the Middle East and beyond to take steps to prevent further escalation of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
He expressed deep concern at the sharp escalation of hostilities and called for respect for international law and the protection of civilians.
At a press conference in Geneva, the Turkish representative stressed the need for international efforts to contain the conflict and provide humanitarian assistance.
At the same time, the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Lebanon, Abdinasir Abubakar, noted that Lebanese hospitals are overcrowded with wounded people, many of whom have suffered eye and facial injuries. The worsening conflict is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region, he added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said. “There is no military solution that would make either side safer,” a UN official said at a briefing, CNN reports.
